Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Dr. Paz y Paz Bailey, Mr Niall O'Keeffe of Trócaire and Ms Blanca Blanco, who is accompanying Dr. Bailey.
We are privileged to have Dr. Bailey, a human rights defender and former Attorney General of Guatemala. Her impressive CV speaks for itself. Members will be aware of the work she has undertaken in her home country and her international reputation. At one stage she was regarded as one of the most powerful women in the world. That is a very good CV to have. It is important to highlight how much she has done in her country. In her term as Attorney General the level of crime fell. Obviously there were other issues as well. As her country still suffers from poverty and corruption, it must be very difficult for her as a lecturer in Georgetown University to see what is happening in her country at the moment. We can see what can be done when a person such as her gets that job and does her job. Unfortunately, she was sacked for doing her job, which is very difficult for us to comprehend. We are delighted to have her here this afternoon. I am sure she will be able to address the committee first and then answer questions from the committee members.
I ask members and those in the public gallery to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as, even in silent mode, they cause interference with the recording equipment in the committee rooms.
I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses, or any official by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the joint committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.
Dr. Bailey is very welcome. She is a lawyer, academic, human rights defender, social activist and former Attorney General of Guatemala. It is a great CV to have. We are delighted and privileged to have her appear before the committee this afternoon. I thank Trócaire for organising this visit. I ask Dr. Bailey to make her presentation.